


Smooth Sailing

by LilyK



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: First Times, M/M, Plot What Plot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 07:31:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/795468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyK/pseuds/LilyK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim finally gets his heart's desire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smooth Sailing

Thanks to Double R for the great beta work. Thanks to all of you who took the time to write and let me know that you enjoyed my previously posted story, Finally. That one was Blair's POV. This one is Jim's. 

* * *

I'm floating on a warm sea of serenity as I wake slowly. I feel my body struggle for a few seconds to stay in the zone, but reality soon intrudes and I'm awake in spite of my efforts to hold onto the feelings. I'm disappointed when I open my eyes, knowing that the feelings will disappear quickly and I'll be back in the real world. Sometimes I wish I could just go on sleeping. 

After I wake, I lay quite still for the longest time. I'm still lying against Blair in the exact same position he invited me into more than two hours ago, snuggled on the sofa in the dark loft. I think about tonight. Tonight, for some reason, something is different. After I open my eyes, the feelings remain. I turn them over in my mind. Taste them on my tongue. Savor them on my body. I catalogue them individually. Make a list, actually. It's a habit of mine. It puts things in perspective for me. It's probably a holdover from the military man I used to be. The cop I am now. 

Content. Relaxed. Warm. Loved. Let's see, Content. Yes, I definitely feel satisfied right now. Relaxed. I have trouble relaxing sometimes, but tonight I'm definitely in the zone on relaxed. Warm. Well, Blair is a small furnace on two feet, so warm is a given. Loved. I'm a bit surprised at the last one. Loved? Yeah, that is how I feel right this minute Loved. I focus my senses on the warm Blair body upon which I am lying. I listen to his heart beating slowly in sleep. I hear his soft, rhythmic breathing. I can feel the blood rushing through his veins under my hands and against my ear, I hear the sounds of his belly making small gurgling noises. I smell the familiar Blair scent, warm and musky. Everything about him keeps my senses centered. Keeps me sane. 

Thoughts of the day start to sneak in. The awful bus crash and the children hurt. The sounds and sights of pain and suffering. Sometimes I hate these senses. I can see and hear and smell everything. Today was too much 'everything'. I know Sandburg was worried about me because if we were separated by more than a few feet, his eyes would seek me out to check up on me, to watch for those fucking zone outs. He knows I'm beyond tired and walking the edge tonight. It wouldn't take much to send me crashing over and I'm more than a bit pissed at myself for even feeling this way. When did I let myself become so vulnerable? So damned human? It's these senses. They bring out the best and the worst in me. It's a love/hate relationship, believe me. I used to be on the hate side more often than not, but in the past few years, because of Blair, I'm on the love side more. Well, maybe I should say the 'accustomed to' side. 

Today, when it's finally over, when everyone and everything's been taken care of, Blair takes me home and he takes care of me. It seems like he's always taking care of me. Some Blessed Protector I turned out to be. The funny thing is that he never makes it seem like he's doing the taking care of. He doesn't hold it over my head. He does it without complaining or anything. It's like he does it out of love. Hell, maybe he does. 

I lay for the longest time, quiet and snug, thinking about Blair. God, he used to drive me crazy. Sometimes he still does. He's all bouncy and happy. He's talkative when he should be quiet. He's messy all the time. He drives me crazy watching me, making sure I'm not zoned or that I'm eating right or that I'm as safe as a guy in my profession can be. But the up side is that he's smart and resourceful and fun, and he makes me laugh. I wonder when I first realized I couldn't live without him? Some tough guy I turned out to be. And so much for that vow I made after Carolyn. No more permanent relationships for me, thank you very much. Four years already and I've had a permanent relationship without even realizing it until now. Blair and Jim. Good heavens! What a couple we make. 

I think about that for a while. A couple. I wonder what Sandburg would think about that. Blair. I correct myself. It's better to call the person you are in love with and whom you are thinking of asking to sleep with you by their first name. I almost chuckle at that thought. What the hell am I going to say to him? Blair, I want to make love with you? That might work. It's direct but not too forceful. Blair, let's fuck? No, I don't think so. That's cold and not very inviting. My mind mulls over the various possibilities and scenarios and then I notice that he's waking up. I feel my heart start to race and my body respond to his nearness now that he's awake. My blood sings in my veins and I feel flushed. I am happy and so at peace. I wonder if he can tell. 

"Hey," Blair says softly. 

"Hey, yourself, Chief." 

"You okay?" 

I stop for a second and think about that. "No, but I will be soon." 

I sense his confusion before he says, "Ah, good, I think." 

Go ahead, Ellison, say something, something wonderful, something profound, something that will convey how you feel. "Blair?" There, that's a good start. 

I focus my senses on my Guide and he's drowsy when he answers, "Hmmmm?" 

"What would you say if I asked you to move this to my bed?" I ask solemnly. 

Was that good? It wasn't too pushy, I hope. Not too needy either. God, this is hard! Suddenly, I feel Blair's body tense. Oh, fuck, I said the wrong thing. He's offended. Damn, damn, damn. I raise my head and look into his eyes. Blair has the most interesting eyes. They change colors from bright blue to dark as his mood changes. And right now, they're a surprised blue. I push off from my hands that I've moved to either side of his body, attempting to get up for a hasty retreat, but Blair's hand slides behind my head and holds on tight. 

"Jim, I'd say yes," he says quickly. 

I stop and even though I hear the words, the doubts that I have about even broaching the subject rise to the surface. Is he serious? Maybe he's just being condescending. Maybe he feels obligated. He's the Guide after all. Ellison, stop! I yell at myself and I look into Blair's face. 

"Really?" I say a bit breathlessly. "For a second there, I felt you react when I asked you. I thought you were, ah, disgusted about my suggestion." 

Our eyes are locked on each other and Blair is very serious when he says, "God, Jim, no. I was just so surprised. I'm shocked, really. Do you mean it?" 

Do I mean it? Hell no, Sandburg, I want to shout, I'm just fucking with you to drive myself crazy, but I just scowl at him and say, "Sandburg, why would I say it if I didn't mean it?" 

"But why, Jim, why now?" Blair asks a bit tentatively. Good God, it's time for twenty questions. 

I shrug. "Because." There, that's a typical Ellison answer to a typical Sandburg question. 

He chuckles at me. "Oh, good, because." And then, miracle of miracles, he's quiet! 

I find myself smiling at him and I trace the outline of his lips with just the tip of one finger. I'm surprised at the soft, silky warmth of them. I don't know why I expected another man to be hard or coarse. Hell, I'm not too good at romance in general and romance with a guy in particular is a whole new ballgame for me. I hope I can do this right. I want to do this right. I need to do this right. I experiment with the textures of Blair's skin, running that same finger along his jaw line. 

"You need a shave, Chief." I comment. It was just a statement of fact but for some reason, Blair blushes and tried to rise. I don't even think about it when I sit up and put my hands firmly on his shoulders. "Forget it, buddy-boy, no way I'm letting you shave tonight." I run the back of my fingers across his chin. It sends shivers down my arm and through my torso. I whisper, "I like it." 

Blair gives me that wonderful grin of his and he says, "Okay, Jim." 

I'm watching him intently and he flushes and swallows hard. "Blair, are you nervous?" 

He nods. 

"Me, too. Are you sure?" Might as well ask the hard questions now before anything further happens. I don't think I can handle a broken heart right now. I stare right at Blair but he just nods again. Wow, I must have really shocked him if he's not chattering. 

"Me, too. Are you ready?" That's the big question, but again, my silent, wide-eyed Guide just nods. But I know how he feels. I'm being even less verbal than I usually am, but someone has to put this train on the tracks and get it moving. From Blair's expression, it looks like I'm elected. 

I rise and reach out my hand. Blair slips his warm hand into mind, holding tight. I feel the tiny hairs on his knuckles when I brush my thumb across the backs and I feel the calluses from where he holds his pencil too tight when he's writing. I don't even have to tug because he follows willingly. When we get up to my bedroom, I'm feeling a bit apprehensive about what to do next. I'm not sure what's expected of me and I just don't have the nerve to even ask. Blair seems quite willing to let me lead so I just pull back the covers and slide across the bed. I hold up the blankets in invitation and Blair watches me so intently that I wonder what he's thinking. It's like he doesn't want to break the spell, like I'll disappear or something. But I don't ask because he slides over close to me without hesitation. 

I feel kind of uncomfortable right now and I do something I used to do when I was a kid. Back when Steven and I were small and I was the protector, when he was scared and sought me out for comfort. I used to throw the blankets up over our heads, making a private place where the outside world couldn't see us, where we were safe from fighting parents or monsters or bullies. So that's what I do, making us safe from criminals and problems and life in general, at least for a few hours. 

I throw my arm around Blair's waist and pull him as close as possible. Our eyes met and we manage a shy smile at each other. He doesn't say a word when he tucks his head under my chin and slips his arm under mine, holding me close. God, he feels so good and he acts like he's right where he belongs, in my arms. He settles in against me like it's something he's done before. It's very natural and I feel the serenity that I've needed in my life. I touch my nose against the top of Blair's head, breathing in the fragrance of my lover. Then I have to do it, I have to kiss that spot right there, and so I do. Blair's arm tightens immediately around me and I give him a quick squeeze in return. 

I can hardly breathe when I say, "I love you, Blair." My heart is so full of everything good for this man. 

"I love you, Jim. So much." My lover tells me passionately. 

I can't stop myself when a deep sigh comes from my body and I hear myself murmuring "mmm" from the feel of Blair in my arms and in my bed. I close my eyes and I listen to the comfortable sounds of Blair falling asleep, and I quickly follow him into his dreams. 

In the morning, I wake so slowly I wonder if something's wrong with me. I'm on my back and practically covered with the heating blanket that is Blair Sandburg. His head is on the pillow right next to mine and his warm breath tickles my ear. His left arm is across my chest and his left leg is across my thighs. I lay listening once again to the sounds of Blair in sleep. I pick up the hand that is resting on my body and examine the fingers. I don't think I've ever inspected anybody's hand quite this closely before. I look at each finger, touch the nails and look at the little wrinkles on the knucklebones. 

I'm working my way to the wrist when I note that Blair's waking. He makes these funny little sounds and snuffles a couple of times and when his eyes open, I'm looking right into them. I need to see his reaction to us being in bed together when he's unguarded. I could have cried right then and there when I see his eyes light up immediately when he sees me right next to him. His look was one of pure delight and he gives me the most wonderful smile. 

"Morning, Jim," he says as reclaims his body parts and stretches completely, reaching up over his head and smiling at me from between his arms. He props his head up on his hand and grins at me. 

"Good morning, Chief," I answer, grinning quite foolishly. "Did you sleep okay?" 

"Oh, yes, man, it was great. Thanks. You?" 

"Yes, I slept well. Thanks." I roll to my side and prop my head on my hand and we lay just looking at each other for a long minute. "Well." I say. 

"Well." Blair echoes. 

I'm pretty tongue-tied about now. Blair smiles at me and says, "You asked me something last night, Jim. Did you mean it?" 

"You mean when I asked if you were ready?" 

Blair nods. "And so..." 

"And so..." I repeat but then I can't think of another thing to say. 

"Jim, kiss me, man." 

I hesitate. I want to kiss him so badly but I'm really not quite sure how to start. Good heavens, Ellison, just lean over and kiss him. I order myself. Blair must sense something's up with me because he rolls to his back and moves closer to me. His face is just a few inches away from mine and he closes his eyes and lays still. All I have to do is lean over just a bit and our lips will meet. So close. So close. Finally, I do it. I move those few inches. I feel Blair's breath from his nose on the side of my face. I close my eyes and gently touch my lips to his, just lightly brushing them together. I let myself feel the soft slightly wet skin against mine. I pull back and lick my lips. The taste is pleasing so I lean down for another kiss. Blair's lips respond, returning the kiss lightly. I know he's being careful, that he doesn't want to overwhelm me. I need to take this slow, at least for now. This is uncharted territory for me. 

I kiss Blair's lips just a bit harder and he responds quickly. After exploring the sensual lips with mine, I flick out my tongue and lick the corner of his mouth. I am a bit surprised when I hear a small moan of pleasure escape Blair's lips. The fact that he's enjoying our kissing emboldens me a bit and I lick the entire surface of his lips and cautiously slip my tongue in just a fraction. Blair moans again and opens his mouth. I shiver at the very idea of our tongues touching and soon I'm exploring his mouth passionately. 

Blair's arms have moved to hold my shoulders and I've slipped an arm around his, pressing our chests together tightly. My boldness grows and soon we're kissing feverishly, moaning into each other's mouths. I finally pull back and look into his face. 

"God, Blair, you're beautiful," I blurt out looking at my lover's reddened lips and flushed face. 

Blair grins at me. "Jeez, Jim, that's sweet. You're the one who's beautiful, you know. You have such a fantastic body." Blair runs his hand down my chest and brushes one of my nipples. A lightning bolt surges through my body and I groan when the nipple hardens under his fingers. "Jim, what do you need to do to make this good? What do you want me to do?" 

"I don't know. I'm not exactly a pro at this, Chief. I want to make you happy." 

"Me, too, Jim, I want to make you happy. You've told me before that you've had experience with other men, and you know that I've never had any experience with this sort of thing. But with your senses, I want to help you, to guide you through this so you don't zone and you get the most out of it." 

"Chief, I'm not in this alone. I want you to get the most out of this, too. Whatever this turns out to be. What do you want? What are your limits? What do you like? Tell me, Blair." 

Blair smiles at me and puts a hand up to the side of my face. "I have no limits with you, Jim. I'm yours. Anything you want is okay by me. Do you understand? Anything." 

A silly grin crosses my face. "Anything? You mean that, Blair? But you've never had a man before. You're willing to let me make love with you?" 

Blair nods happily. "Oh, hell, yes. I want it all. I want all of you. I want everything. Even if it's not today, or right now, we'll take our time, but it will happen. And what about you? You act like you've been doing this for years. You think because you're older or bigger you're better equipped to have anal sex?" 

I burst out laughing. "Chief, from the looks of that hard-on you've got sticking out of those shorts, I don't think you have to worry about me being better equipped." 

Blair blushes nicely and shrugs. "God has a way of evening things out, you know. What I lack in size and weight, I make up for in other areas." 

I might as well make my confession right now before this goes any further. "Ah, Blair, I have to tell you something." 

Blair's fingers trail through my hair and around my ear, sending tiny goose-bumps down my arms. "Sure, Jim, you can tell me anything." 

I know I'm blushing when I say, "I kind of exaggerated about being experienced when we talked about being with men before. I've never done this before either." 

Blair's mouth falls open and he slaps my arm hard. "You fucking liar!" He laughs and kisses me soundly. "Now why would you do that, Jim?" 

I grin a bit sheepishly. "I just said that when we were bullshitting about our conquests and who had more experience back when we first met. It's just like in the military. It was no big deal to make the most of sexual prowess even if it was stretching the truth. By the time I realized I loved you, I'd already told the stories. I'm sorry about that." 

Blair laughs lightly. "Oh, man, come on. Don't worry about it. It's not like I haven't bragged about myself on occasion. But you know what?" 

I shake my head and he grins when he says, "Both of us don't know what the hell we're doing. That's really great. I like the idea of exploring with you, experiencing new things. Hell, man, this is going to be fun. I've read up on just this sort of thing on the Internet. Lots of lube. Take it easy. Just be care..." 

I finally had enough of this talk. I capture Blair's lips with mine and just kiss him into silence until we're both struggling for breath before we finally part. I look right into his eyes and say, "I want to taste you." 

Blair nods wide-eyed and lays back. "Taste all of me, Jim," he invites. 

And so I do. I start at his eyes. He closes his lids and I taste them. Then the space between his eyes down to the tip of his nose. I run my tongue across his upper lip and around his lips. I tip his head to the side and lick his earlobe, then I move onto the rest of the ear. By now, his breath is coming in little pants and his heart rate is rising. 

I move down his chin and onto this throat. He throws his head back and I lick and suck his Adam's apple and the hollow of his throat. I travel across his collarbone and to the spot right above his armpit. When I nip that spot, he giggles. I work my way down his chest, making tiny licks with the tip of my tongue. Each spot on Blair's body taste differently, but they also taste the same. I try to figure out that conundrum. It is the same taste in different strengths, I finally decide. 

Blair's sweating and moaning quite a bit by now and when I finally lick his nipple, his hips thrust upwards. I see that his dick has poked through the opening of his boxers and is leaking like mad. I have the greatest urge to wrap my hand around it and bring him off quickly, but I want to explore, to taste, to smell for just a little bit more. 

"Soon, Blair, soon," I murmur between small nips on his nipple that make him tremble and groan with each sensation. 

"Please, Jim. Hurry," he begs. 

The lust in his voice makes my dick ache. He looks absolutely wonderful sweaty and needy, wantonly pushing his dick into the air, looking for relief. I can't wait any longer and I don't want to tease, so I kiss my way down his chest and belly. I rub my nose in his pubic hair and when I wrap my hand around the base of his thick erection, Blair screams and thrusts into my hand. He grabs handfuls of bedding and pumps his hips, seeking his release. I press a hand on his pelvis and hold his dick in the other and I lick the head gingerly, tasting. I use my tongue to tease the slit and taste the fluid that is leaking profusely. I stop for a second and catalogue the flavor, deciding that I like it, before returning for more. 

Blair is whimpering and thrashing and when I take the head of his dick into my mouth, he vainly tries to thrust into it. I lighten my hold on his body and he immediately thrusts into my eagerly waiting mouth. I hold him enough so that he doesn't choke me and let him set his own pace. In just a few thrusts he's yelling at me that he's coming and tries to pull away, but I hold on and suck the hot, salty semen down my throat. The flavor tingles on my tongue and tastes like the very essence of Blair. I don't release my hold of his dick until it's limp. 

I have quite a goofy grin on my face when I sidle up Blair's body, relishing the feel of the hairs against my skin, and kiss him passionately. Blair returns the kiss with equal passion and his hand snakes down my body to wrap around my dick. I groan and pump into his strong hand. He holds my dick firmly and with just the right pressure and in seconds, I'm coming all over his hand and the sheets. Our lips are still locked together and even through my orgasm, Blair keeps a tight hold of my neck, thrusting his tongue into my mouth in time to my hips. Only when my dick is soft, does he release his hold of my lips and pull back to smile broadly into my face. 

"God, Jim, that was fantastic. But I tried to warn you that I was coming. You didn't have to do that." 

"Chief, I wanted to. You taste wonderful. I love it." 

Blair laughs deeply. "Wow, Jim, that's great, man. I love that you love it. What do I taste like, anyway?" 

I think about that for a second or two before I say, "You taste Blair-y." At that remark, he laughs even louder and I can't help but grin at his obvious delight in my descriptive. "I love everything about you. There isn't anything that I don't want to do to you. And it was pretty darned good for a first time, if I do say so myself." 

"Okay, Jim, that's just so fucking okay, I can't even tell you." Blair's still smiling and I'm smiling and within minutes, we're kissing again. I have no idea how much time passed before we finally surface for air and we are able to speak coherently. Blair, of course, finds his voice first. 

"Jim, promise me something." 

"Sure, Blair, Anything." 

"Promise me you'll always kiss me like this first time." 

"That doesn't seem like such a hard promise to keep," I tell my lover. 

"Just wait. You'll be pissed at me about something. I'll be pissed at you about something. We'll be too tired, or you'll want to clean the loft or watch the game. One of us will need to be kissed. So the other has to promise to always, always kiss like it's the first time. Just to remind the other that it's up to us to keep that feeling alive. Promise me, Jim." 

I look into Blair's eyes and I know what he's saying. It's not just the kiss. It's the vow. He needs to hear me tell him that we'll always be together. That nothing will come between us. That this is forever. "Blair Sandburg, I promise to always kiss you like it's the first time." 

"Okay. Good, Jim. Thanks. Now me." Blair clears his throat and says very seriously, "Jim Ellison, I promise to always kiss you like it's the first time." Blair beams when he's finished, and I just smile. He puts his head on my shoulder and sighs with satisfaction. 

I smile to myself and as my lover drifts off to sleep. I put a hand on his curly head and add, "And I will always love you. That's a promise." 

And as I fall asleep, I hear Blair's drowsy voice, "Me too, Jim. Always." 

* * *

End Smooth Sailing by LilyK: chakbalam@netscape.net

Author and story notes above.

  
Disclaimer: _The Sentinel_ is owned etc. by Pet Fly, Inc. These pages and the stories on them are not meant to infringe on, nor are they endorsed by, Pet Fly, Inc. and Paramount. 


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